The Seventh International Conference on the Inspiration of Astronomical Phenomena

WHAT: The Seventh International Conference on the Inspiration of Astronomical Phenomena
WHERE: Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institute in Bath, England
WHEN: 28 February 2010 (deadline for submission of abstracts); 1 April 2010 (the provisional program will be announced);1 April 2010 (conference payment open); 30 April 2010 (deadline for revision of abstracts)
WHO: Artists and Art-Academics with an interest in the Cosmos, Planets and Stars

We are pleased to announce that the Seventh International Conference on the Inspiration of Astronomical Phenomena (INSAP VII), sponsored by the Sophia Centre for the Study of Cosmology in Culture, University of Wales, Lampeter, will be held at the Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institute in Bath, England, from Monday 25 to Friday 29 October 2010.

This interdisciplinary conference will explore humanity's fascination with the sky, a strong and sometimes dominant element in human life and culture. Scholars from a variety of disciplines, from the humanities and sciences, as well as artists, are invited to present and discuss their work on the cultural impact and inspiration of astronomical phenomena. The list of topics discussed at previous INSAP conferences is available at the INSAP website, http://www.insap.org/insap/.

Attendance is limited to 100 participants.

Submission of abstracts and proposals is open until 28 February 2010 at http://www.insapvii.org/registration.php

We are also delighted that the pre-conference reception on Sunday 24 October will be held in Herschel House, William Herschel's former home in Bath and the conference dinner in the Assembly Rooms, the home of eighteenth century Bath's elegant social elite.

Keynote speakers will include Professor Sir Arnold Wolfendale, former Astronomer Royal

The Conference will be held in the elegant surroundings of the Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institute, one of the most beautiful public buildings in Georgian Bath (http://www.brlsi.org/). Bath itself is a world heritage city, famous for its grand 18th century terraces, its historic center and its Roman Baths.

TIMETABLE
28 February 2010: deadline for submission of abstracts.
1 April 2010: the provisional program will be announced.
1 April 2010: conference payment open
30 April 2010: deadline for revision of abstracts

We anticipate that the conference fee will be 260 GBP (payment before 1 July) 310 GBP (payment after 1 July), and will include at least two lunches and a conference dinner, as well as the pre-conference reception.

Full information on the program, venue, and transport, is posted on the Conference website: http://www.insapvii.org

The previous INSAP conferences took place at a retreat at Rocca di Papa in Italy, near the Vatican Observatory (1994), at the International Office of the University of Malta (1999), the Palermo Observatory (2001), Oxford University (2003), the Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum, Chicago (2005) and at Palazzo Franchetti in Venice, Italy, part of the Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti (2009). Details about these conferences are available at http://www.insap.org

INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:
Francesco Bertola (ISVLA, Venezia, Italy),
Marvin Bolt (Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum, Chicago, USA),
Nicholas Campion (University of Wales, Lampeter, UK),
Enrico Corsini, (Universita` di Padova, Italy),
George Coyne, S. J. (Specola Vaticana, Vatican City),
Chris Impey (University of Arizona, Tucson, USA),
Ron Olowin, Chair, (St. Mary's College, Moraga, USA),
David Pankenier (Lehigh University, Bethlehem, USA),
Richard Poss (University of Arizona, Tucson, USA),
Valerie Shrimplin (Independent Art Historian, London, UK),
Rolf M. Sinclair, (Centro de Estudios Cientificos, Valdivia, Chile),
Gary Wells, Vice-Chair (Ithaca College, USA)

LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE:
Nicholas Campion, Chair (University of Wales, Lampeter, UK) ncampion@caol.demon.co.uk
Frances Clynes (University of Wales, Lampeter, UK),
Giles Davison (Independent Scholar, UK)
Peter Hingley (Librarian, Royal Astronomical Society, London)
Valerie Shrimplin (Independent Art Historian, London, UK),

Conference Administrator
Alice Ekrek
admin@sophia-project.org.uk

Dr Nicholas Campion
ncampion@caol.demon.co.uk
On behalf of the Local Organising Committee and the International Executive Committee
Sophia Centre for the Study of Cosmology in Culture,
Department of Archaeology, History and Anthropology
University of Wales, Lampeter
http://www.lamp.ac.uk



Sponsored by the Sophia Centre for the Study of Cosmology in Culture, University of Wales, Lampeter
http://www.lamp.ac.uk/sophia